Can opener having spout forming means



April 4, 1967 o. WOLF 3,311,974

CAN OPENER HAVING SPOUT FORMING MEANS Filed Oct. 19, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor.-

OSKAR L'JOLF Attorney April 4, 1967 WOLF CAN OPENER HAVING SPOUT FORMING MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed Oct. 19. 1965 In venior:

OSKAR liq W444 @447 Attorney WOLF April 4, 1967 o. WOLF 3,311,974

CAN OPENER HAVING SPOUT FORMING MEANS Filed Q01, 19. 1965 v s Sheets-Sheet s Inventor:

OSKAR. WOLF Attorney United States Patent O CAN GPENER HAVHNG EPGUT FORl'tdlNG MEANS Oskar Wolf, Frankfurter Landstrasse 43,

' Hanan am Main, Germany Filed Oct. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 498,963 Claims priority, application Germany, Get. 20, 1.964, W 3 86 Claims. (Cl. 30-61) The present invention relates to a can opener simultaneously. shaping during the opening operation a spout out of the portion of the rim and underlying wall of the container, for containers such as made of sheet metal, filled with fluent materials such as milk, oil, beer, honey, gasoline, pulverized solids, or the lilre.

Such containers are now generally opened by punching diametrically opposite holes into the top so that the con tents can be poured out. By various hand-operated tools of the prior art used for punching such holes, the top cover is often partly or entirely removed. After the container has been opened, the upper edge thereof, usually rough, often projects beyond the upper surface of the container. When the contents have to be poured across such a projection some of the contents, depending also on their viscidity, often remain clinging to the rim or sides of the container, or run down the outer surface of the container, causing disagreeable soiling and waste.

The primary object of the we eat invention is to avoid these difiicultities and to provide a can opener which can be used not only to punch the usually diametrically opposite holes in the top of the container for entrance of air and discharge of the contents, but which can be manipulated to provide a container of any form with a suitable pouring spout at the same time.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention, in position on a container to be opened; FIGURE 2 is a view, similar to FIGURE 1, showing the container after it has been opened, with the can opener still in alignment but separated therefrom;

Fl'GURE 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of this invention, in position on a container to be opened;

FIGURE 4 shows in cross-section four different forms of cutting blades of the can opener as preferred examples only;

FIGURE 5 shows the device of FIGURE 3 after it has been swung intooperative position on the container; and

. FIGURE 6 is a view of the device of FIGURES 3 and 5 after the container has been opened with the can opener still in alignment but separated therefrom.

The device of the invention is shown provided with a base plate carrying a prick-punch and an abutment for catching onto the upper edge of the container, the plate having, linked to it a lever carrying a cutting blade or prong extending downwardly in the same direction as the priclopunch and having a cross-section which widens with increasing depth of penetration into the can. There is also provided a die into which the material displaced by the cutting blade is pressed.

The plate with the punch is placed on the container in such a manner that the abutment engages the outer periphery of the container. The distance between the abutment and the punch is preferably such that with containers of minimum conventional size, the punch will engage the top of the container at the edge that is diametrically opposite the abutment. The purpose of the punch is to provide a hole for the entrance of air. Its distance from the abutment will then be sutlicient even with large containers, to

ssusu Fatented Apr. 4, 19d? keep the airhole above the liquid level when the container is inclined position as during pouring.

The cutting blade is then driven into the upper surface of the container and upon continued movement in the same direction, which is easily done by continued depres s on of the lever, the outer edge of the container will be shaped as a pouring spout. The parts which engage the periphery of the container and which are shaped according to the form of the cutting blade will then cooperate in the formation of the spout and will prevent shifting of the plate on top of the container.

Since the hinged connection of the lever to the plate must not only permit an angular movement, but also a longitudinal movement over the top of the container in order to form the pouring spout without too much deformation of the remainder of the container, this hinged connection is designed to permit relative longitudinal movement between these parts. This is accomplished advantageously by forming the hinge sockets with elongated openings.

The longitudinal movement of both parts in one embodiment of this invention is effected by connecting to the cutting blade a part which is shaped to grip over the outer rim of the container and into which the container material displaced by the cutting blade is pressed. In order that during the depression of the lever this shaped part will grip around the outer container rim and wall, the cutting blade and the shaped part are spaced away from each other at their free ends.

In another embodiment of this invention the relative longitudinal movements between the plate and the lever are made possible by the provision of two articulated joints and by shaping the formed part which grips over the container margin so that the material of the container rim, displaced by the cutting blade, will be pressed into the shaped part. For such an operation, when manual means are provided, the free end of the lever is grasped and depressed with one hand while the other hand presses down the second joint positioned about the middle of the top of the container. Here the shaped part preferably also formed as an abutment also functions as a guide for the cutting blade during its penetration into the container. The plate has an opening between the abutment and a noselike projection of the plate to locate the place where the blade is to enter the container and to guide the blade during its entering movement. The noselike portion also prevents the blade from cutting too large an opening in the top of the container.

The operation of this embodiment of the invention is facilitated by providing at least one of the articulated joints with a spring-biased to oppose its movement to the container-opening direction. As a result of this disclosure, the container opener can be designed by those skilled in the art to form pouring spouts of many diiterent shapes, it being only necessary to give the requisite shapes to the cutting blades which are to penetrate the containers. For example, the base of the cutting blade adjacent the lever can be given a curved or angular form, and the shaped part into which the container margin is to be pressed is of a corresponding shape.

Another advantageous feature of this invention is that the articulated connection to the plate is equipped with a yieldable abutment. hinged to the first plate upon encountering the abutment, will position the lever in such a manner that the cutting blade will be exactly at the edge of the container. By further depression of the lever, the force of the spring can be easily overcome.

In the drawings like numerals denote the same or equivalent structures.

There is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 a lever 20 which carries a cutting blade 22 extending downwardly from it The intermediate plate which is,

toward the container 19. The blade 22 is pointed as at 24 to enable it to penetrate the top of the container. The blade 22 also presents throughout its length a forming edge 26 to give to that portion of the container which is in the path of movement of the blade the form of a pouring spout. The blade 22 has connected to it a forming abutment 27 into which that portion of the container which is to form the pouring spout is pressed. For this purpose the blade 22 and the abutment 27 are spaced away from each other at their lower ends While their upper portions converge toward each other. With their lower ends away from each other the forming abutment will grip around the outer jacket of the container. During formation of the spout the container jacket will be kept in the space between the blade and the abutment, whereby the device will be kept in proper position on the container, and it will then not be possible for the prick-punch 16 to rip the top of the container open toward its center.

The round form of the pouring spout is shown only as an example. According to the shape of the blade 22 and the form 27, any other desired form of spout can be produced.

To use the container opener shown in FIGURES l and 2, the plate 12 is placed fiat upon the top of the container and pressed down, causing the prick-punch to to form the required airholes in the top. The plate 12 is put upon the container in such a manner that the lugs 14 engage the container jacket. As FIGURE 1 clearly shows, there is an open space between the lugs 14 to permit the blade 22 to enter the container between them which is done by bringing the point 24 of the blade down upon the rim of the container. To make this possible, the articulated hinged connection 18 is designed to permit relative longitudinal movement between the parts 12 and 20. The lever is then forcedly depressed whereby an opening will be cut into the top of the container simultaneously with the formation of a pouring spout.

In the constructions shown in FIGURES 3, 5 and 6, a plate 30 is provided at one end with an abutment 32 which is adapted to be applied to the outside of the container 10. The plate 30 has an opening 34 with a noselike part 35 projecting through the center thereof and extending almost to the periphery of the container. At its other end the plate 30 carries the previously described prick-punch 16 and is provided with a hinge 36 connecting the plate 30 with an intermediate plate 38 whose remote end is connected by a hinge 40 to the lever 42.

In this construction the hinge 40 is bridged over by a spring 44 which tends to open the angle between the parts 38 and 42. The lever 42 is provided with a cutting blade 46 having a cutting edge 48 at its free end while its root portion 50 is formed with a projecting portion 52. The edge 54 of the portion 52 serves to form the pouring spout 56.

As FIGURE 4 shows, the pouring spout can have other forms besides that of a pointed wedge. Form a is strongly rounded, form b is moderately rounded, form 0 is that of a blunted wedge, and form d is that of a simple wedge. Form d is the one shown in FIGURES 3, 5 and 6.

In order to open a container 10, the plate 30 is placed on top of the container in such a manner that the lug or abutment 32 under the plate grips the margin of the container. The nosel'ike portion 35 then extends into the opening 34, almost to the edge of the container. By means of the prick-punch 16 the airhole is then formed in top of the container by depressing the plate 3%. The lever 42 and the intermediate plate 38 are then swung over the base plate in the path of the curved arrow in FIGURE 3. Thereby the intermediate plate simultaneously is swung about the hinges 36 and 40 in such a manner that the cutting blade 48 will pass through the opening 34 and penetrate the rim 48 immediately adjacent the noselike portion 35. The free end of the lever 42 and at the same time the hinge 40 are then pressed downwardly toward the container so that with the help of the blade 48 the top of the container is first cut into and by further depression with the help of the handle 42 a pouring spou't 56 is formed from the material of the container wall. The deformation of the container to form the spout is limited by the abutment 32 whose form corresponds to that of the wedge 54. The manually operated device can then be removed from the container which will then be ready for use.

While the present invention was demonstrated with reference to small type cans, it is not limited to any size of containers and is suitable for opening of large vessels and drums.

The present invention intends to include means to attach the can opener fixedly to a wall by means conventional to the art.

While only lever-type manually operated means have been describe-d in the preferred embodiments of the invention shown, it lies within the ready knowledge of those skilled in the art and within the scope of the invention to substitute therefor means, operated by a crankshaft and/ or by a motor.

While I have disclosed forms of the mechanism presently preferred by me for carrying the invention into practice, numerous other modifications, alterations and substitutions of equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art, after a study of the foregoing specification. Hence, the disclosure should be taken in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense; and all modifications and substitutions of equivalents within the scope of the subjoined claims are to be considered part of the invention.

Having now fully disclosed the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A can opening and spout forming device comprising (a) an elongated base plate having a prick punch means adjacent one end thereof for penetrating a can top near its rim and a downwardly projecting abutment means at the other end thereof for engaging the portion of a can rim opposite the prick punch means, the prick punch means and the abutment means constituting means for gripping a can top and rim in locked engagement;

(b) a lever means hingedly connected for angular upward and downward movement to the base plate at the end thereof adjacent the prick punch means and having a downwardly extending cutter prong means adjacent said abutment means for cutting the top of a can adjacent its rim, said cutter prong means widening upwardly in cross-section from its lower tip and having a male outer surface with the shape of a spout; and

(c) said device having die means attached thereto with a female shape corresponding to the male shape of the cutter prong means, said cutter prong means having longitudinal movement away from .the prick punch means to press the rim and adjacent side wall of a can outward in cooperation with said die means positioned for receiving the outer wall surface of a can as it is pressed outward to form a spout by the cutter prong means, whereby the spout is formed in a can.

2. The can opening and spout forming device of claim 1, wherein the die means is rigidly attached to'the lever means adjacent said outer surface of the cutter prong means, the lower ends of the die means and the cutter prong means being spaced apart for receipt of a can rim therebetween, the upper portions thereof converging toward each other whereby a can rim is progressively shaped to form a spout as the lever means is pressed downwardly.

3. The can opening and spout forming device of claim 2, wherein the hinge conection between the lever means and the base plate is a sliding hinge means, whereby sliding movement of the lever means with respect to the base plate is permitted, as the lever means is pressed downward.

4. The can opening and spout forming device of claim 1, wherein the die means is rigidly attached to the base plate adjacent the abutment means, and the lever means comprises an intermediate plate hingedly connected at one end to the base plate at the end thereof adjacent the prick punch means and hingedly connected at its other end to a lever comprising said downwardly extending cutter prong means.

5. The can opening and spout forming device of claim. 4 including spring means mounted between the inter mediate plate and the lever for increasing an angle therebetween.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,660,781 12/1953 Harms 306.3 X

6 7/1955 Bauer 306.3 X

10/1955 Wiemeri 30-6.1

8/1958 Royal 306.3 X

4/1962 Hansen et a1. 30-6.3

3/1963 Ford 306.1 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 8/1929 Great Britain.

WELLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

G. WEIDENFELD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CAN OPENING AND SPOUT FORMING DEVICE COMPRISING (A) AN ELONGATED BASE PLATE HAVING A PRICK PUNCH MEANS ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF FOR PENETRATING A CAN TOP NEAR ITS RIM AND A DOWNWARDLY PROJECTING ABUTMENT MEANS AT THE OTHER END THEREOF FOR ENGAGING THE PORTION OF A CAN RIM OPPOSITE THE PRICKPUNCH MEANS, THE PRICK PUNCH MEANS AND THE ABUTMENT MEANS CONSTITUTING MEANS FOR GRIPPING A CAN TOP AND RIM IN LOCKED ENGAGEMENT; (B) A LEVER MEANS HINGEDLY CONNECTED FOR ANGULAR UPWARD AND DOWNWARD MOVEMENT TO THE BASE PLATE AT THE END THEREOF ADJACENT THE PRICK PUNCH MEANS AND HAVING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING CUTTER PRONG MEANS ADJACENT SAID ABUTMENT MEANS FOR CUTTING THE TOP OF A CAN ADJACENT ITS RIM, SAID CUTTER PRONG MEANS WIDENING UPWARDLY IN CROSS-SECTION FROM ITS LOWER TIP AND HAVING A MALE OUTER SURFACE WITH THE SHAPE OF A SPOUT; AND 